Braves 16-year-old prospect is already turning heads

For years, the Braves were hampered by international signing restrictions, a big factor in why the farm system is hurting the way it is right now. However, those days are in the rearview, and Atlanta’s 2025 international class is already making an impact, particularly 16-year-old switch-hitting outfielder Diego Tornes.

Tornes was one of the top international prospects in the entire class, ranked #15 by MLB.com. The Braves handed him a $2.5 million signing bonus, by far the most to any international player this year, and he’s off to a scorching start to his professional career.

Through 14 games in the Dominican Summer League, Diego Tornes is hitting .345 with a .947 OPS. He has six extra-base hits (three doubles and three triples) to go along with 13 steals. He’s already showing signs of the full package. His power from both sides of the plate is impressive, and his overall athleticism has the Braves believing he might be able to play centerfield as he rises through the ranks of the minors.

“I saw Diego with a big sledgehammer, slamming at big truck tires and just sweating all over his body,” Braves Latin American scouting director Jonathan Cruz said back in January. “You start dreaming and thinking, ‘All right, don’t give up on this kid yet.’ We just kept going back and we saw him get better consistently, and now we’re pretty confident he’s going to play center field.”

It’s obviously still very early, but Tornes’ physical traits are hard to miss. He’s a kid everyone should be keeping a close eye on moving forward.